Sectional trunk.



A. J. GUNN.

SEGTIONAL TRUNK.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 28, 1911.

Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Java/7m.

Gbtdmw ')LUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60.. WASHINGTON, Du c.

A. J. GUNN.

SECTIONAL TRUNK.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.28,1911.

1,080,056. Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLISON J. GUNN, OF CRIPPLE CREEK, COLORADO.

SECTION AL TRUNK.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, ALmsoN J. GUNN, a

citizen of the 'United States, residing at Cripple Creek, in the county of Teller and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sectional Trunks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to sectional trunks, and has for its object to .provide a trunk which may be composed of two sections only and may constitute what is generally .known as a steamer trunk or which may be provided with a number of intermevliate sections, whereby the trunk may be transformed into what .is known as a fiaratoga trunk.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had ltO the following description and. accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective View of the trunk; Fig. 2;is a transverse sectional view of-the same; Fig.3 isaperspective view of a locking frame used in the same; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the top section of the trunk; Fig. ,5 is a perspective view of to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

The bottom section of the trunk, indicated at A, "has its walls composed of inner and outer plies or leaves of material indicated at 1 and 2 respectively. The lower edges of both plies are at the bottom side of the section but the upper edges of the inner plies arebelow the upper edges of the outer plies. Posts 3 are provided in the corners of the section, and the upper ends of said posts project above the upper edges of the adjacent meeting inner plies, being spaced bythe same from the outer plies and being approximately flush with the upper edges of the outer plies. Metallic strips 4 have side portions placed between the inner and outer plies 1 and 2 at the front and rear sides of the section A, and other side portions ex- .Specification-of Letters Batent.

Applicationfiled December 28, 1911.

PatentedDec. 2, 1313. Serial No. 668,225.

are adapted to engage the inner surfaces of the inner side portions of the said strips and limit the downward swinging movement of the said members. Flat springs 8 are interposed between the inner surfaces of the inner plies and the members 6 and tend to normally hold the said members away from the inner faces of the said section. Each member 6 is provided at its upper end with a head 9 which when the member is swung to an erect position is adapted to pass through a superposed section and enter a recess 10 provided at the upper end of the other side portion of that strip 4 to which the member 6 is attached.

Bracing strips 11 in cruciform relation are interposed between the inner and outer plies of the sides of the bottom section A and if desired may be interposed between the plies of the ends 0f the said section. Those bracing strips 11 which are located at the sides of the section are secured at their ends by the securing devices 5 which connect the opposite side portions of the strips 4 together and the intermediate portions of the braces 11 may be held in proper relation to each other by means of rivets or other securing devices indicated at 12.

The intermediate section B is open at top and bottomand the sides of the said section are made up of inner and outer plies of material similar to the plies l and 2 hereinbefore described in conjunction with the section A, with the exception that the lower edges of the inner plies of the section B project below the lower edges of the outer plies of the same as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. The projecting lower portions of the inner plies are adapted to fit snugly within the upper projecting edge portions of the outer plies 2 of the section A with the lower edges of the plies of the section B resting upon the upper edges of the respective plies of the section A. Thus when the section B is in position upon the section A the inner and outer plies of material of both of the said sections are in vertical alinement. The section B is provided with corner posts 3 sim i lar in arrangement to the corner posts 3 provided in connection with the section A. The section B, however, is provided in its corners and at its lower portion with socket members 13 which are adapted to receive the upper end portions of the posts 3 in the section A. The section B is provided with strips & similar to the strips 4 described in connection with the section A, with the exception that the opposite side portions of the strips 4 in the section B are provided with slots 14 adjacent their lower ends which are adapted to register with the slots 10 in said lower strips and receive the heads 9 of the members 6 carried by the lower strips. The strips 4 upon the section B are provided at their upper portions with hinge members 6 similar to those described in crmnection with the strips upon the section A, and the section B is also provided with reinforcing strips 11 arranged and secured similar to the strips 11 provided upon the section A.

The section B is provided upon its inner surface with spring catches 15 above its lower edge and with brackets 16 at its lower edge.

An'open frame 17 is adapted to fit snugly in the lower portion of the section B and the said frame 17 is provided at its sides and ends with lower beveled recesses 18 and upper beveled recesses 19. These recesses are at the upper and lower edge portions of the frame and when the frame is inserted down through the top of the-section B the lowermost beveled surfaces 18 at the long sides of the frame come in contact with the upper ends of the hinge members 6 in the section A and swing the said members against the tension of the springs 8 and force the heads in the lower section 9 through the slots 14 in the strips 4 provided upon the superposed section B. The longer sides of the frame 17 will seat in the brackets 16 and hold the longer sides of the section B against spreading. The corners of the frame 17 will rest upon the upper ends of the socket members 13 and extend under the posts 3, it being understood that the lower ends of the posts are spaced from the upper ends of the sockets to such an extent that the frames may be easily inserted if slightly tilted. The ends of the frame 17 will slip down under the spring catches 15 and the lower ends of the said catches will spring inward and lie above the upper surfaces of the end portions of the frame 17 and prevent the said frame from moving in an upward direction. Thus the frame 17 serves as a locking member and is so supported that, while it will effectually hold the catches in engagement with the upper members or sections of the trunk, it cannot bear upon them so heavily as to injure or break them, nor can it drop or be pushed below the same, but must remain in an operative position.

The top section C is similar in structure to the sections A and B with the exception that no parts project above the upper edges of the inner plies 1 of the said section C and the upper portions of the inner plies 1 project above the upper edges of the outer plies 2. A top 20 is hinged to one of the said outer plies 2 of the top section C and the strips 4: provided upon the top section C are devoid of the hinge members 6 described in connection with the sections A'and B. The top section 0 is locked in position upon the upper end of the section B in a manner exactly similar to that described in connection with the locking means between the sections A and B. Any number of intermediate sections B may be provided.

If desired the outer plies 2 of the sections B and C may be provided with bands 21 which project below the lower edges of the said outer plies and which are adapted to overlap the outer plies of the section located immediately below.

The top section G is provided at its ends with suitable handles 22.

A tray 23 is provided and the said tray is provided at its opposite sides with brackets 24: which are adapted to rest upon the long sides of the uppermost locking frame 17 and thus means is provided for supporting the tray 23 in the top section C.

Strap sections 25 extend along the long sides and under the bottom of the bottom trunk section A and are held in guides 26 provided upon the sides of the said bottom section A. These strap sections are provided at their ends with buckles 27. Strap sections 28 are held in guides 29 provided at the long sides of the intermediate section B and the lower ends of the strap sections 28 are adapted to be engaged with the buckles 27 and the strap sections 28 are provided at their upper ends with buckles 30. Strap sections 31 ezgtend transversely across the long sides of the top section C and also extend across the said top section C and are held in guides 32 provided upon the said top section (3. The ends of the strap sections 31 are adapted to be engaged with the buckles 30 carried by the strap sections 28.

From the above description it will be seen that the intermediate section B may be dispensed with and the top section C may be applied directly to the bottom section A, and thus a steamer trunk is formed of the top and bottom sections. By interposing one or more intermediate sections B between the bottom and top sections, the structure is converted into a large or Saratoga trunk.

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed as new is:

1. A trunk comprising separable sections having their meeting edges constructed to overlap, locking strips carried by a lower section and adapted to engage a superposed sect'ion, means tending to move said locking strips away from the superposed section, and stops on the strips to limit such movement.

2. A trunk comprising separable sections, locking strips provided within the several sections, the strips upon the upper section having slots, hinged members provided upon the strips on the lower section and having heads adapted to enter the said slots in the upper strips, and locking frames adapted to be inserted within the sections and hold the heads of the hinge members in engagement with the slots.

3. A trunk composed of separable sections, locking strips secured to the several sections the strips upon the upper sections having slots near their lower ends, hinge members provided upon the strips of the lower sections, frames adapted to be inserted within the sections to bear against the said hinged members of the lower strips to hold the same in engagement with the slots of the upper strips, and spring catches provided on the upper sections and adapted to retain said frames in position.

4. A trunk composed of separable sections, posts provided in the corners of the sections and having projecting upper ends, socket members in the corners of the upper sections to receive the upper ends of the posts in a subjacent section, catches carried by the lower sections and adapted to engage the upper sections, and locking frames supported by the socket members in position to bear against said catches and hold the same in engagement with the upper sections.

5. A trunk composed of separable sections, locking strips upon the upper sect-ions having slots near their lower ends, catches upon the lower sections adapted to engage said slots, locking frames adapted to be inserted within the sections and bear against said catches to hold the same in engagement with said slots, and means on the upper sections to retain the said frames in position.

6. A trunk comprising separable sections, catches carried by a lower section and adapted to engage a superposed section, a lockin frame adapted to fit within the superpose section and bear upon said catches to hold them in engagement with the superposed section, and means upon the superposed sections to support the locking frame in operative position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALLISON J. GUNN. [Ls] Witnesses:

U. G. DANFORD C. B. KILLINeswoRTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents, Washington, D. C. 

